The field of the present invention is underwater sound sources, and more particularly, expendable sound sources which can be launched from ships, aircraft or submarines, and still more particularly, expendable sound sources which can provide low frequency, high powered underwater acoustic signals.
The high cost of towing large acoustic sound sources from vessels during an underwater acoustic measurement exercise is known. Present high frequency, low power sources such as the sonobuoy and SUS charge type sound source are restricted in their use because of an inability to provide low frequency, high power acoustic signals and because such sources operate at only a limited number of discrete operating depths.
Accordingly, a need exists for an inexpensive omni-directional, low frequency, high powered expendable sound source that could be launched from ships, aircraft or submarines, and operated at a plurality of depths limited only by the crush depth of the source's internal components.